Chapter Five: In Which Classes Occur and Quidditch Takes Place

After the troll incident on Halloween, the band of Slytherins were left alone, not bothering with the taunting of the newly formed 'Golden Trio', simply because the three Gryffindor misfits –– really, Lardbottom should have been in their little group as well –– could hardly ever be found. Harry and Draco suspected that they knew what was being hidden in Hogwarts –– or at least knew that something was hidden –– and were digging their noses into places they didn't belong. After all, things were kept secret for a reason.

Because of the lack of constant bickering, Harry and Draco managed to progress in their studies by leaps and bounds, hurdling over the other struggling first years, and managed to still have time to complete their on-the-side projects. December was rolling in, and with it, the first Quidditch match of the season –– Gryffindor vs. Slytherin –– Marcus Flint, the captain, had been particularly brutal in preparing all of the players, especially Terrence Higgs, the seeker, and McDoul and Derrik, the two beaters, who would be graduating next year.

Everyone with more than two brain cells to rub together had to admit that Potter was a rather nifty flier, but that didn't mean that the Slytherins had to like that small fact. There was a reason he was the youngest Seeker in the century, even with his horrible eyesight.

Draco, Harry, Nott, Zabini, Crabbe, Goyle, and all the other Slytherin first years were prepped and ready to support their classmates in the game, and Harry had turned his hair Slytherin green for the occasion to match his silver eyes.

"It's strange to see you actually utilize your metamorphmagus skills," commented Draco as the two of them walked to the Great Hall to meet Nott and Zabini to trek up to the Slytherin Quidditch stands –– the goons Crabbe and Goyle having already gone to save seats.

"It is," said Harry, making a small humming noise at himself. "I never really saw the need, as I am proud to wear my natural Malfoy features… though I suppose it will come in handy later on, if you catch my drift." Draco nodded, and the two silently ended their conversation as they approached Nott and Zabini.

"Aurora's very excited for this match," said Zabini in reference to his sister. "It'll be her last match against Gryffindor, as it is her seventh year. Even with Potter, she can't wait to pummel the lions into submission."

"She's a chaser, correct?" asked Harry. "Along with Flint and Montague?"

"Yeah," said Nott distractedly as they made their way outside, beating the rush of the crowd by a good half an hour. "Hopefully McDoul and Derrik actually play their part."

"Flint would scalp them if they didn't," said Harry, a small frown crossing his aristocratic features. "He's been drilling them for the past two months, as soon as he knew what Wood would be doing."

"What do you think they'll be doing about Wood?" asked Zabini, his facial expression matching that of Harrison's.

"Even though the Woods are filthy blood-traitors, you have to admit that he's a damn good Keeper," said Nott. "Flint's best bet is to have McDoul or Derrik knock him off of his broom so he's out for the rest of the game."

"That would force the Gryffindork chasers to play both offense and defense," said Draco, a nasty smile plastered across his face, and, in a moment of day-dreaming that was highly unusual for Draco, the blond elder Malfoy tripped.

"Spongify," said Harry with a wave of his wand, and Draco landed on the ground as if it was a muggle trampoline, not hard earth. He got up, shooting Zabini and Nott looks to shut them up, and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Scourgify." And Draco was clean.

"That's a fifth year level spell," exclaimed Nott, peering at Harry curiously.

"Your parents have your training, our parents have ours, let bygones by bygones and lets not mention this little incident to anyone else, no?" Harry pulled out his copy of 'Obscure Jinxes and Spells for the Insufferable Target' and smiled at them, flipping open to page sixty-four.

"I was thinking we could use this one on Potter, seeing as his hair is like his child. Calvario is the hair-loss spell."

"But anyone could see that you cast the spell if they use 'priori incantatum'," reasoned Blaise, and Draco and Harry exchanged a chuckle.

"Don't worry, we won't get caught."

They finished their journey to the top of the Slytherin stands –– where they would get the best view of the overall game –– without any further incidents.

The boys made idle chat –– except for Crabbe and Goyle, who just grunted, as per usual –– and watched as the other students and staff of the school began to file in, Madame Hooch taking up her position on a broom in the center of the field, waiting for the two teams to be announced.

Harry took a moment to flip through 'Magicks for the Intermediate Dark Wizard', which he had illusioned to appear to be a copy of 'The Standard Book of Spells, Year One', and folded another page in the highly worn, dog-eared book. The page contained several spells of interest, including expulsis aruspices, the Entrail-Expelling curse, and decorticare cutis a curse that made the target's skin peel off.

"Look, the game's starting!" Zabini's excited call made Harry's head snap to attention, and he let the extra, more powerful wand slip out of the holster.

"Mount your brooms, please," they could hear Madame Hooch say.

"And the quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor –– what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too ––"

"JORDAN" bellowed Professor McGonagall, as it seemed that Lee Jordan, the friend and accomplice of the twin terrors was running the commentary for Quidditch this season.

"Sorry, Professor."

"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's last year only a reserve –– back to Johnson and –– no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes –– Flint flying like an eagle up there –– he's going to sc –– no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle –– that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and –– OUCH –– that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger –– Quaffle taken by the Slytherins –– that's Aurora Zabini speeding off toward the goalposts, but she's blocked by a second Bludger –– sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which –– nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes –– she's really flying –– dodges a speeding Bludger –– the goalposts are ahead –– come on, now, Angelina –– Keeper Bletchley dives –– misses –– GRYFFINDOR SCORE!"

Gryffindor cheers filled the air, followed quickly by the groans of the Slytherins, including several boos led by the Malfoy brothers.

After Johnson had scored, Potter began doing loop-the-loops in an arrogant show of skill, so Harry raised his wand, aimed, and muttered: "calbario".

"MY LORD –– What on EARTH has happened to the hair of Gryffindor Seeker Jamie Potter? Why, it's almost as if ––"

"JORDAN!"

"Right, sorry, Professor. Slytherin in possession. Chaser Zabini ducks two Bludgers, two Weasley, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the –– wait a moment –– was that the Snitch?" Zabini dropped the Quaffle into Montague's waiting arms in surprise of the snitch flying right past her ear, and both Potter and Higgs dove, and Draco and Harry cackled at the sight of Draco's bald head.

Potter was catching up to the blasted thing, and he pushed harder with his Nimbus 2000, and it seemed it was going to be a Gryffindor victory when ––

WHAM!

Flint had purposefully gone barreling into Potter, causing the Nimbus to spin off course and Madame Hooch was forced to call a foul. However, in all of the confusion, the snitch managed to sneak off. Harry could see James Sr. and the other Potters crying out at the injustice, along with their family friends, the Longbottoms.

"So –– after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating ––"

"Jordan!" growled McGonagall threateningly.

"I mean, after that open and revolting foul ––"

"Jordan, I'm warning you ––"

"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue to play. Gryffindor still in possession?" It was then that the Slytherins began to play dirty, McDoul and Derrik pulling all the moves to incapacitate and possibly maim the Gryffindor Chasers, and the twin terrors were having trouble keeping up with them.

Another penalty was awarded when Flint used the Beater's bat to take out Wood, but after that, the Slytherins were on a roll, bring the score up to 170 - 30 in favor of the Slytherins.

Draco pointed to the sky, as it seemed like the newly bald Scarhead had lost control of his broom, and he turned to look expectantly at Harry.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm not doing anything," said Harry, slightly annoyed. "Though I wish I'd had thought of that…" he trailed off, pondering which jinx was being used, until he finally decided it must be the bucking jinx.

Potter's rather extravagant display in the air left many Slytherins –– and some Ravenclaws –– cackling with glee, and they were highly disappointed when Potter finally gained control of his broom, though Harry suspected it had something to do with the fact that mudblood Granger had disappeared from the Gryffindor stands from a while, and was only just appearing.

And then, Potter was diving, very quickly at that, and held his hand to his mouth as if he were about to vomit, landed on all fours on the ground –– coughed –– and something gold fell into his hand.

"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the game ended in complete confusion and chaos, the final score being 170 - 180.

"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it!" Flint was still howling twenty minutes later, but it made no difference –– Scarhead hadn't broken any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results –– Gryffindor had won by one hundred and eighty points to one hundred and seventy. It was a very close cut match, but the Gryffindors were still taking it happily.

Scarhead heard none of this, though, because little Jamie Potter had been quickly whisked away by his mother and father to try and regrow his hair quickly, with the assistance of Madame Pomfrey.

The mood in the Slytherin House was rather somber afterwards, and the rivalry between the snakes and the lions seemed to only increase, and Harry and Draco had taken to transforming masks for their animal test subjects to wear, making them look like members of the Gryffindor House.

Christmas soon arrived, though, and with it the spirits of the Slytherins rose, as they now had a chance to return to their families in their ancestral homes, and celebrate in merriment with those of more important social standing.

The exchanging of gifts was always a chance to show off, so Draco and Harry made sure that they bought the most extravagant and expensive gifts for all of their year-mates –– though they sent Pansy's gifts reluctantly, as neither of them really liked the girl. Harry made sure to send Daphne an extra expensive gift, as he had broached the idea of a marriage contract with her to his father, who had quickly approved of the idea, and suggested Harry begin the long, tedious task of courting the young witch.

Christmas at Malfoy Manor was always an elaborate affair, with dozens of parties to attend, and the Minister's Christmas Ball, which they were the guests of honor, Minister Fudge bragging about the achievements of Draco and Harry as if they were his own children, seeing as he had none of his own, as Mrs. Fudge was unable to have children.

Harry and Draco received dozens of gifts each, from all of the higher-up pureblooded families who wished to impress the Malfoy family, and several patriarchs were surely plotting to try and snag one of the two boys in a marriage contract, as Harry was to inherit the Black family fortune, which was only a couple of thousand galleons behind the Malfoy family fortune.

The highlights, though, had been gifts from their year-mates and their Aunt Bellatrix and Uncle Sev, the latter two of whom always sent the best gifts. Severus had given them each an advanced potions set, and textbooks on some of the darker, rarer potions as well as rare potions ingredients. Bellatrix had sent them trinkets from her two year long mission in America.

Zabini, Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle had sent rather extravagant school supplies, such as journals, quills, inkwells, and the like, most likely on the recommendation of their parents, and Daphne had sent Harry a miniature diamond sculpture of Regulus that she'd carved herself, as the girl had much artistic talent.

Soon, though, they returned to the boring routine of life at Hogwarts.

There was a brief incident during the Gryffindor Hufflepuff match later in the year in which Lardbottom and Weasel-bee –– as Lardbottom had joined the band of misfits –– attempted to beat up the Malfoys, but Nott, Zabini, Crabbe, and Goyle had stepped in, and Snape had ensure that twenty points each were deducted from Gryffindor House, as he was just as bitter at the Slytherin defeat as the students.

Weasley had landed himself in the Hospital Wing soon after the Easter holidays, and Draco had managed to pick up a tip on the fact that Potter, Lardbottom, Weasel-bee, and mudblood Granger would be delivering a dragon to Weasel-bee's elder brother, who was a dragonkeeper in Romania.

They quickly informed Professor Snape, who had crept along in the shadows of the determined meeting point –– the Astronomy Tower –– and had intercepted the transfer of the dragon, a Norwegian Ridgeback, gleefully deducting points and assigning detention to the four Gryffindors, and the House of the Lions found themselves two hundred points behind everyone else.

The weeks passed by quickly as the majority of the first years scrambled to get ready for the end-of-the year exams, and the teachers didn't help much with the stress level, assigning mountains of homework that even Harry and Draco struggled to complete on time. In Potions alone, seven children had broken down, and fifteen more cauldrons had either disintegrated or exploded, and Uncle Sev was at his wit's end.

There had been yet another fiasco involving Scarhead, Weasel-bee, Lardbottom, and mudblood Granger towards the end of the year, in which they had apparently broken into the forbidden third floor corridor and found whatever had been hidden there, and had, apparently 'rescued' it from dark forces.

The Malfoy brothers knew differently, however, as their father had sent them a letter informing them that the Philosopher's stone Scarhead had seized was a fake, and the Dark Lord was in possession of the real stone. The fact that Quirrell was dead wasn't a great shock to the boys, as they knew he was a weak wizard, and easily replaceable.

The end of the year exams went swimmingly, and at the end of the year feast, Dumbledore awarded Gryffindor with another two hundred points for miscellaneous reasons, but Slytherin had still managed to pull ahead by ten points, which was rather ironic considering the results of the first Quidditch match of the year.

The Malfoy brothers said farewell to their dorm-mates at the end of the train ride home, and quickly made their way over to their waiting parents, who wasted no time in apparating the two back to Malfoy Manor, where they would continue their summer training.